The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-11-24

free Trade In Lngiand Doomed
Working people Of this country know
bit little Of low wages and bard time
when compared with the working people
II the most prosperous countries il
Europe Even in England the condition
OF the sgficuturists aud mechanics is APP
palliug, millions Of them being ont Of woll
aud begging 10 vain Tor something to do
even at starvation wages. Sir Arthur Sui
liysp, one OF the brightest nen in England
attributes this alarming state Of affairs Il
the policy Of free trade aud We copy the
following from an article written by him
Forty years ago the majority 10 this
country, IN titof temporary insanity, put
away protection aud adopted free trade.
How long will il be be fore we have protec.
liuu back againl aud why should not the
masses demand u2 Ii they begin 10
thluk their prosperity, even their very ex
isleDce, depends upon it, Of course they
will demand it; and the fact is becoming
every day more clear that they are begin.
log TO think their existence does demand
IT. 1t Is only question Of time how long
the shoe will pinch so close as to be un-
bearable. Foreign trade makes fine show
but what is the use Of that il our home
trade is deyoured by foreign ants? Home
trade, home production, home consump
tiou, are three times the bulk aud value OF
foreign trade. II is these that makes the
nation rich or poor The greater the value
nj ha
wealth; but for thirty years we have been
taugut to believe that our wealth depends
on what we import aud export.
Now, without pretending to define by
figures what is prosperity, | think it is
easy to detiue by common sense what is
not prosperity. Exporting artisans and
importing paupers is not sign of pros
perity The former are the evidence OF
national health, the latter are the parasites
that appear on the unhealthy body. Land
going rapidly out Of cultivation. the pros
pee,iye ruin Of the greatest industry of the
country, is not sign of prosperity. Land.
owners and tenants ruined, laborers
crowding into the towns to seek work, are
not signs of prosperity; the tremendous
fall IN the value Of all produce, agricul
tural and manufactured. is not a sign OF
prosperity; the fall in the value OF coal
aud iron are not a sign of prosperity;
spending $1,000 600 in drink is not
sign Of prosperity; 1.-The Song of the
Shirt, women selling their life blood at q
half penny an hour, is not sign OF pros
perity; a nation spending its capital is not
a sign OF prosperity; capitalists preferrinp
foreign investments Of any kind to invest
ments in home industries is not sign OF
p rosperity, excessive cheapness is not
sign of prosperity--it is the cry of the
paper, Of the poor law guardian who
has to keep him, CT those who have to
live from hand 10 mouth OF the idlers, OF
those who do not wish to work, not OF The
hard workingman who wishes to improve
bis position.
1t is not cheapness the worker wants-it
is good wages. Cheapness means low
wages; dearness means high wages. II
seems ridiculous to say so, but nevertbe.
less it is fact, that cheapness and misery,
dearness aud prosperity, go hand in hand
and tina. dear countries are more favorable
to labor than cheap ones. What working
man ever emigrates to ireland because it is
cheap Bot how many emigrate to Ameri
ca, although 1t is dear? II thirty years
ago, legislation had taken the form OF pro.
lectipg industries. and promoting employ
ment at any cost, instead OF neglecting
Industries and securing mere cheapness at
my cost we should not now be threatened
with industrial ruin. During the last fifty
years the most prosperous times for all
Il l. L. n.